Although Tang Hong now recognized Jiang Chen as his boss, the irritation in his heart had yet to be placated after losing a competition. He naturally wouldnât do so in front of his boss.
Iron Dazhi, however, had suddenly barged in out of nowhere. Judging from his foolish demeanor, he wanted to make Tang Hong his underling!
This made Tang Hong feel deeply offended. This Iron Dazhi was a good-for-nothing who depended on the protection of his familyâs elders. He was complete trash in Tang Hongâs eyes!
This kid dared throw his weight around in front of Tang Hong?
He kept cracking his knuckles audibly.
âIron Dazhi, youâre always freaking ready for a beating, huh? Donât think Iâm too wuss to hit you just because you have a powerful grandfather.â
Iron Dazhi blinked. Heâd come storming out of his closed-door cultivation with quite a strong momentum. Heâd always felt himself somewhat weaker than Tang Hong before.
But this timeâs training had seen him break through sixth level spirit realm and receive the Iron family legacy. When compared to Tang Hong now, he would only be stronger than him and not weaker.
This brat dares talk back to me like this?
Iron Dazhiâs face darkened immediately. âTang Hong, do you understand the notion of precedence? What kind of position do you have, what kind of position do I have? In terms of background and cultivation, in what way am I unfit to be your boss?â
Tang Hong sneered and advanced closer, âWhy the feck would I care what your background or cultivation are? Why donât you keep strutting around? Do you believe that Iâll slap the shit out of you with one blow?â
Tang Hong had lost his bet and was ticked that he had no place to vent his ill will on. Iron Dazhi hadnât recognized the situation he was in and charged straight in. What an idiot.
One had to say, Tang Hongâs stocky body and his head full of red hair scattered like straw gave others a very fierce feeling.
Add to that his extraordinarily large feetâhe was indeed rather frightening when he started walking.
Iron Dazhi also regretted his bit of mouthing off when he saw Tang Hong start to go on a rampage. This wasnât the way to bring him into his camp!
Everyone knew that Death-Defyer Tang Hong would put in an appearance when he was provoked enough.
Seeing that Tang Hong was about to lose his composure at any time, Iron Dazhi hastily said, âForget it. Iâm participating in the exams today and wonât bother myself with arguing with you today. The other sects are all united in this great selection, so what do you think youâll gain in arguing with me?â
Jiang Chen couldnât help but laugh inwardly at Iron Dazhi when hearing this.
This guy chickened out in the critical moment! No matter what his reason had been, he was absolutely finding a way out of the situation and didnât dare conflict with Tang Hong.
Tang Hong snorted, âBullshit! Unity is just a surface act. I also warn you that you better not be hoity-toity in front of me in the future.â
Iron Dazhi was livid. âAlright, alright! Tang Hong, youâre cocky now. But one day, Iâll make you dance in attendance to me!â
Tang Hong laughed in cold succession and flicked his middle finger at Iron Dazhi, leaving with a flourish.
His emblematic big feet pounded on the floor, creating a large ruckus.
Jiang Chen chuckled and flicked a glance at Iron Dazhi, preparing to walk out as well. The results were quickly apparent when two geniuses faced off.
Iron Dazhi was born of a good family and had many resources, but he was still a good-for-nothing in terms of personality and schemes who couldnât be saved.
Tang Hong on the other hand had an obviously resolute dao heart, and a spirit that never accepted defeat.
âSecular ant, what are you laughing about?â Iron Dazhi had been depressed already and flew into a rage when he saw that mask wearing secular ant also laughing. You pathetic ant, a character the same as a dog, dare laugh in front of me as well?
Jiang Chen had long since grown immune to names such as secular ant and ordinary kid. He laughed coldly and imitated Tang Hong in raising his middle finger.
âWhat business of yours is it that I laugh?â
Jiang Chen also left with a flourish after these words, ignoring the black lines running down Iron Dazhiâs face.
He was about to respond when someone suddenly walked out of the pill refining room. She said with a furrowed brow, âThis is the pill examination area, who causes an uproar here? Do you understand the rules?â
The examiner also walked up with a smile when he saw this person. Another heaven-defying genius had emerged. âLong Juxue, youâve completed the exams?â
This lovely figure was indeed Long Juxue. Sheâd completed the pill exams and was exiting from this direction when she heard the noise.
Nodding, Long Juxue frowned and raked a faint glance over Iron Dazhi. âYouâre a Precious Tree Sect disciple, do you not know that quiet is needed for refining pills? Have your elders not taught you even this bit of knowledge?â
Iron Dazhi had been depressed to begin with, and this was heightened with Long Juxueâs lecture. âThis... this is my fault as well?â
Of course he knew her background. An innate constitution, and the undertones that she would become first in the Purple Sun Sect. As proud as Iron Dazhi was, he too knew that this woman was not one to provoke.
Otherwise, with his personality, how would he stand for being lectured by a woman?
Long Juxue averted her face with disdain. Apparently, a character like Iron Dazhi was unworthy of her sight.
The examiner hastened to smooth things over when he saw that the scene had taken an awkward turn. âAlright, the noise just now wasnât only Iron Dazhiâs fault. The matter arose because Tang Hong of the Precious Tree Sect bet against the secular genius. What do you think the results were?â
âWhat?â Long Juxue and Iron Dazhi were in unexpected accordance this time as they asked the same question at the same time.
It was obvious that the two werenât really on the same wavelength. Theyâd blurted out this question because Iron Dazhi was paying attention to Tang Hong and Long Juxue had picked up the ear-piercing words of the secular genius.
âTang Hong was very confident in betting with the secular genius. Whoever lost would be the otherâs lackey for life. In the end, the self-assured Tang Hong lost three exams in a row, and he lost them in a manner with no hope of winning at all. Tsk tsk. The secular genius is truly amazing. Tang Hongâs gift for spirit medicine is at least top three in the Precious Tree Sect. To think that he would lose so utterly.â
The examiner was patently the sort that liked to disseminate all sorts of gossip. His face grew animated as he spoke of thus, completely forgetting that the secular genius harbored an enormous grudge with Master Shuiyue from the earth quadrant.
Master Shuiyueâs prized disciple was standing right in front of him.
âThat secular genius beat Tang Hong?â Iron Dazhi was immensely taken aback. âWhen did Tang Hong become such trash? This completely throws away the face of my Precious Tree Sect!â
Quite of bit of edge had been taken off from Iron Dazhiâs spirit just now, so he couldnât help but complain now. It was as if this kind of complaining would help him regain his confidence and the face that heâd lost earlier.
Long Juxueâs face was frosted over as she laughed coldly, saying disdainfully. âIs an unorthodox little dao worth showing off about? Crude and pathetic indeed.â
She floated away with a wave of her snow-white sleeves afterwards.
The examiner suddenly recalled something. His expression changed as he laughed ruefully. âLook at me running my mouth, I forgot about the grudge between the secular genius and Master Shuiyue.â
Having been quite upset just now, Iron Dazhi didnât have any good feelings towards the secular genius or towards Tang Hong. He said irritably, âI request to take the exams.â
.......
Jiang Chen had completed three major areas and fifteen exams in one day. He now had 75 points in hand.
Examination time was drawing to a close. Jiang Chen didnât continue towards the comprehensive subject area, but he doubled back and prepared to return to his residence.
There were three months to a cycle anyways. There was plenty of time.
âBoss, why arenât we going to the comprehensive subject area? If we go now, we still have time to loot some points.â
âLoot?â Jiang Chen was astounded.
Tang Hong ruffled his messy red hair and chuckled, âThereâs no difficulty to the foundation exams. To us, itâs just grinding out points, so everyone jokingly calls it looting points. Truthfully speaking, itâs a given that those who rank in the top 20 always obtain these 100 points every month.â
âA given?â Jiang Chen was surprised. âTop 20?â
Tang Hong nodded very affirmatively. âA given. Iâve never heard of anyone slipping up thus far. In addition, the twenty exams of the four subject areas are usually completed within a day to a day and a half. If anyone takes more than two days to complete this, then even if they obtain all 100 points, they wonât think theyâve succeeded because theyâve delayed obtaining points in the advanced stage.â
There were one hundred guaranteed points in the foundation stage.
The advanced stage was where the true division between candidates in the sky quadrant was demarcated.
âHow many points do you have now?â Jiang Chen asked out of curiosity.
Tang Hong answered loudly, âI have 1,500 points. Iâm a far ways off from those perverts.â
âWhatâs the highest?â Jiang Chen had always wanted to know this answer, but he hadnât found the appropriate person to ask. Who wouldâve thought that heâd gain a follower today, and one for life!
âThereâs not much difference between the highest candidates, theyâre definitely over 2,000. I wonder if theyâve reached 2,500 yet.â Tang Hong shook his head and sighed. âThese fellows enjoy the most resources in the sect. I, Tang Hong, am top three in the sect, but compared to them, my position in the sect is quite awkward. Itâs one as if my grandmother doesnât like me, and my uncle doesnât love me.â
The Precious Tree Sect had always been one of overt struggles and covert plots between the Xie family and Iron family.
Tang Hong was a genius with an outsiderâs surname and didnât have a particularly strong backing in the sect. Therefore, he truly didnât have much of an advantage in terms of sect resources.
In addition, his personality was wild and unrestrained. He hadnât fallen under the Xie or Iron family banner.
It was because he hadnât joined either camp that his resources were much fewer compared to the geniuses of those families.
Even so, he didnât lose heart this way but tried even harder, training and learning even more furiously.
Due to this, the bone-deep drive to win and his unrestrained personality had forged his spirit of never giving up, a strength of heart that wouldnât falter even if Mt. Tai collapsed in front of him, making him stronger than any Precious Tree Sect disciple.
Jiang Chen was gravely awed when he heard these numbers.
Who wouldâve thought that the highest numbers would be over two thousand. It looks like he would have to stride forth with great footsteps to make up for his late arrival.